I'm planning to get Giotto plates for outdoors, mounted on Riedell 495 boots. I've read that placing the front wheel as forward as possible is better for outdoors, so you can roll over stuff, and the rear wheel under the centre of ankle joint. My question is how far forward is recommended for the front wheels for outdoor skating? I'd prefer not to limit the ability to make quick turns, as long as it doesn't mean I get thrown over on every twig on the road.

If there are alternative recommended setups for outdoors I'd be interested to hear.

I had these same questions a few years ago when I was doing an Avenger–Riedell setup for outdoor speed, dance, downhill slalom, and general urban skating. I am the same weight as you, only 2” shorter.

I did a short forward mount and tried them for two weeks. I hated it. It was too hard to go up on my toes; it was too easy to tilt back over the rear axle; and I did not like pushing off only with the front of my foot. I thought the maneuverability was good, but I don’t think they rolled over debris better or were less likely to pitch me forward than my old standard mount skates. Part of the problem was the geometry of the forward mount, the other was that I was use to skating on a standard mount.

But this was me. The best person to choose the placement of your mount is you. After un-mounting the plates, I temporarily duct taped them back on the boots in 1/8” increments behind the prior mount location. I did a test skate each time and marked each test in pencil on the bottom of the boot. No need to find the ankle joint or ball. When it felt right, I mounted it.

For cushions I use the hardest ones available (Sure-Grip red 93a) because they more stable at high speed. For wheels I use Zombie Hawgs 76mm 86a, with the width cut down to reduce weight. Your preferences may vary, although I would recommend a large diameter wheel (70mm or more) for a smoother ride.

BTW, I’m totally with you on Dionysus. Wine, creativity and ecstatic rituals. Yeehaw!

The far forward front axle (as in my avatar PIC) is good insurance for avoiding face plants, but it can mess with doing transition moves that take you up onto the front axle only, even briefly, because it reduces the leverage of your foot/ankle for tipping the skate forward.

I see no reason that you need firm cushions for stability at any speed, once you develop the adequate ankle strength to control the proper lean of your plates. Stability is more a function of plate geometry and skater skill level, than it is a result of cushion firmness. Turning response is much more the result of plate suspension tuning, and not so much from a plate merely having a short length.

Since you are transitioning from inlines, a longer plate with medium firmness cushions might initially be good. If the suspension is well tuned a long Giatto can still turn effectively, but I would quickly move on to softer cushions as a way of more quickly getting better with your balance skills while rolling & turning on one foot, than you can learn this with firm & less responsive cushions.

The bigger (70mm+) wheels should handle your intended kind of outdoor skating well, as long as and they are fairly narrow (30-35mm).

Measure from where your big toe meets the ball of the foot to the vertical line to the floor midway of your inside ankle bone. This gives you the distance between axles you need for your plate. For example my measurement is 153mm, so I have a 155mm axles spread on my Boens. Of course you may not be able to get it exactly to match.

Mount your plate so that the rear axle is slightly forward of the middle of you inside ankle bone (about half a centimetre should be good)

Your front axle will now fall somewhere under your big toe.

This is my setup, and the setup that is called Aussie Style. It is not Short Forward as far as I am concerned.

It is also not necessarily done this way to roll over things. This mount allows you to step on your heel and gives greater push off with the big toe, therefore more power and speed. In my opinion.

Actually the first pic below, the plate could do with about another 3/4 centimetre more forward. They are actually my indoor setup. Second one is outdoor setup.

__________________
We are the QUORG! You will be assimiskated. Skating Inlines is Futile!
Colin Coakes,
Wollongong, NSW, Australia

Which cushions would be best for outdoor non-competitive dance / shuffle, some speed? I think the standard supplied cushions are the clear blue medium ones.

Hi Dionysus,

I use the Giotto for outdoors. I can highly recommend those.
With the clear cushions and my 70kg I can use 80 mm wheels. The front cushions are cranked down 3 clicks, the back cushions can be quite loose.
Maybe you have read the Giotto-thread already.